NPR is reporting on the health implications of digital habits, the underdiagnosis of ADHD in women, and a growing distrust among medical professionals regarding vaccine guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Regarding digital habits, NPR said TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi's new book, "Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being," explores the science of information overload. Zomorodi and co-author Keith Diaz found that constant "media multitasking" depletes brain glucose and oxygen, leading to mental fatigue and fogginess. They suggest single-tasking, structured daily planning, and brief physical activity, such as five minutes of walking, can help reset cognitive capacity and combat the brain's tendency to self-interrupt after prolonged screen time.
NPR is also reporting that many women are receiving adult diagnoses for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, often after decades of their symptoms being overlooked. Maria Godoy reported that ADHD symptoms in girls frequently manifest as distraction or disorganization, rather than the more overt hyperactivity seen in boys, leading to missed diagnoses. Clinical psychologist Julia Schechter noted that girls with ADHD are more likely to appear "head in the clouds." Historically, research focused on boys, contributing to a lack of understanding for women. The report highlighted that missed treatment can lead to challenges in social relationships, impulse control, low self-esteem, and increased risks of worthlessness, self-harm, or suicide. Dr. Patricia Quinn, a developmental pediatrician, added that women with ADHD face higher incidences of obesity, eating disorders, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, linked to impulsivity and difficulty maintaining routines. Midlife, particularly perimenopause, can exacerbate symptoms due to estrogen fluctuations, often prompting adult diagnoses. Treatment options include medication, hormone replacement therapy, psychotherapy, and lifestyle adjustments.
Additionally, NPR is reporting that pediatricians and local health officials are increasingly sidestepping vaccine guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Karen Brown of New England Public Media reported that public trust in the CDC has wavered, particularly after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced the CDC's vaccine advisory board with new appointees, some of whom are vaccine skeptics. Dr. John Snyder, an Amherst, Mass., pediatrician, stated that the CDC, once a globally trusted source, has become "completely unreputable." In January, the CDC removed several vaccines, including those for COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal disease, and rotavirus, from the recommended schedule for all children, contrary to advice from major medical groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics. Snyder's practice, Amherst Pediatrics, now directs families to their doctor, the state of Massachusetts, or medical organizations for vaccine information, and promotes a new regional public health effort called Valley Vax.